


The College Experience

by Wolfheart



Category: The Maze Runner Series - James Dashner
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Anal Sex, Crushes, Domestic, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Humor, Jealousy, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining, Recreational Drug Use, Underage Drinking, and how you'll laugh at the cliches, as in my lame attempt at humor, aw yea
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-29
Updated: 2015-01-29
Packaged: 2018-03-09 13:48:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3252113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wolfheart/pseuds/Wolfheart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If you were to ask Thomas how he pictured his Freshman year, he definitely wouldn't have said he'd be riding shotgun to sex personified and watching in awe and horror as the person who would become one of his best friends balance himself on the back of a motorcycle like he was riding a surfboard.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The College Experience

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DefenestratingDanika](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DefenestratingDanika/gifts).



> Minho/Newt, Alby/Newt, and Thomas/Brenda are the only side pairings that really need to be mentioned. They play a minor role one way or another. Read the fic. You'll see what I'm talking about, but Newmas is the endgame! :)
> 
> This is a (late) birthday present for, [DefenestratingDanika](http://archiveofourown.org/users/DefenestratingDanika)!! ♥
> 
> There were a lot of things I wanted to add into this story, but I simply didn't have the time to do it because I needed to post this tonight. I really hope you guys enjoy the wild ride of this lame ass fic! :)

Honestly, Thomas wasn’t expecting his college experience to be memorable. It was just going to be one of those times in his life that he was going to look back and recall a caffeine addiction that rivaled crack addicts and a haze of insomnia and self hate. If you were to ask Thomas how he pictured his Freshman year, he definitely wouldn't have said he'd be riding shotgun to sex personified and watching in awe and horror as the person who would become one of his best friends balance himself on the back of a motorcycle like he was riding a surfboard.

“Bloody hell, Minho!” Newt warned from the driver's seat, sounding more irritated than surprised. You would think the more time Thomas spent with them, the less dazzling Newt’s English accent would be. That wasn’t at all the case. “If you wreck my motorcycle, I'll crash this truck!”

The only response Minho gave was a wide grin and hollar of triumph. Thomas was leaning his head out of the open window as he watched what was probably the bravest and dumbest thing he'd ever seen. It shouldn't have been a shock seeing as this was Minho, but Thomas couldn't help but be amazed by the performance. Alby, who was driving the motorcycle, didn't give a response. The shade of Alby’s helmet was down and masking his face, but he didn't seem phased. It was as if Minho standing up and keeping his hands on Alby's shoulders for balance was the most normal thing in the world.

“Never should've agreed to this,” Newt grumbled. Thomas turned his attention to him then but was unable to wipe the goofy smile off his face. “Idiot's gonna get himself killed one of these days.”

“At least he's not driving?” Thomas offered. Alby was the only one Thomas had seen Newt let ride his bike, and now Thomas had an idea as to why. Minho would probably try to pop wheelies and who knows what else.

“Definitely not.”

Thomas eyed the cigarette pack and lighter Newt retrieved out of his jean jacket. “I thought Minho said you couldn’t smoke in his truck?”

“He did,” Newt confirmed but put a cigarette in his mouth anyway. “But if he breaks his bloody neck, I’m taking his truck. Light?”

Thomas glanced in between the lighter offered up to him and the way the cigarette sat in between Newt’s lips. He took the lighter and cupped his hand around the yellow flame to shield it from the wind coming in through the open windows. It took longer than it could have because Thomas’s attention strayed. Newt’s face was closer now that he’d leaned over. Since Newt was busy watching the road, Thomas felt brave enough to let his eyes wander. Newt had soft and sharp features all at once and had a way of looking both innocent and dangerous. His attitude only added to the split, seeing as he could flash you a gracious smile and insult you all at once.

Those soft, brown eyes flickered over to Thomas. “Trouble?”

“Sorry,” Thomas apologized, eyes shamefully shooting back down to the task at hand. “Got it.”

Thomas couldn’t think of a time where he wasn’t captivated by the guy. Ever since he became part of their gang, he always tried to find an excuse to hang out and be closer to Newt. This odd attraction only got worse over the year he’d befriended the gang. Thomas tried to fight it off, but he had no control over his heart skipping a beat every time Newt smirked at him. It didn’t help that life seemed determined to torture him. The number of times Thomas had walked into Newt and Alby’s shared apartment to find Newt shirtless was getting dangerously high.

It also didn’t help that everyone else except Thomas seemed to know Newt intimately.

“He’s a good kisser,” Minho said with a shrug. Thomas couldn't even remember how the topic came up, but it twisted his gut. It's not that Thomas didn't know about their history, but he hated the reminder.

Thomas sounded distant. "Right."

"That mouth of his is something else, but I'll still take the title of best lay around. If anyone's getting lucky tonight, it's going to be me."

Oh, right. The party.

Minho nudged Thomas when he didn't respond right away. "Hey, you'd get second best. Alby's got more muscle than you, but I think you'd still win out."

Alby rolled his eyes from the side of the room and pulled on his jacket. His voice was it’s usual low rumble when he pointed out, "It's going to be hard to get laid from the couch."

Minho flashed him a grin before hopping up. "You mad I'm going to steal all the hotties away?"

Alby looked annoyed. "Take them. I'm looking for a drink, not sex."

"Best of both worlds, man. Learn to indulge."

Newt appeared from the bathroom. He was fixing his hair when he joined the conversation. There was an unimpressed frown on his face. "Minho, you're a walking stereotype."

"I was talking about booze."

Newt gave him a look. "Of course you were."

Minho just grinned in response.

The party was dull. The music was lame, and the low quality speakers that kept rattling only made it worse. The beer was poor, and the crowd was poorer. The only upside to the party was the large quantity of weed the host had, which sucked considerably for Thomas since he didn’t smoke.

It didn't take long for Thomas to find himself sitting in a lounge chair on the back porch keeping himself occupied with phone apps. It wasn't so bad. It could have been some wild party getting busted by the police where Thomas would no doubt be the unlucky one to be caught drinking underage. The only thing Thomas had to worry about at the moment was the urge to claw his face off from sheer boredom.

The glass door sliding open made Thomas flinch and twist around in his seat. His jumpiness caught the other person off guard too, causing them to jerk back against the door.

"Christ, Tommy," Newt hissed as he rubbed where his shoulder stung after connecting with the edge of the door.

Thomas's face heated, and he ducked his head. "Sorry."

"Almost made me drop it." Newt raised the joint to his lips to take another puff after closing the glass door all the way.

Thomas tracked Newt's movement, watching as the lanky boy wandered over to sit beside him. Even though it was no secret that Newt was a smoker, Thomas had only seen Newt high a handful of times. It awed Thomas a little to see the way Newt loosened up. His movement was slower, and his voice was smoother. There was a wide, lazy smile on his face when he turned his head towards Thomas and offered up his joint.

"Want a hit?"

It's not that Thomas was hard against ever smoking. He just didn't see trying to get high in some stranger's backyard as a fun time. The constant yapping of the neighbor’s dog wasn’t going to add to the mood either. He shook his head.

Newt shrugged and took another puff. He rambled a little and talked anywhere from the party to something stupid Gally had said the other day. Thomas kept quiet for the most part, enjoying the quiet, flowing words of the Englishman. The only time Thomas said more than a word or two was when Newt started talking about one of the girls at the party.

“That redhead in there who was line dancing earlier?” Newt clariffied as he gestured a hand back to the door. “I think she’s wearing the same knickers I have at home.”

It felt like the world suddenly tilted off balance. Thomas jerked his head towards Newt. “What?”

Newt rolled his eyes and corrected himself. “ _Panties_.”

“No, I mean what do you mean she’s wearing the ones you have?” Thomas urged, searching for the mistake or joke that had to be there somewhere. Newt didn’t just say he owned a pair of women’s panties, did he?

“I noticed when she bent down to get a beer from the fridge. They’re red with lace like mine and everything.” Newt mumbled to himself as an afterthought, “She really needs a belt.”

Thomas gaped at Newt as if he’d grown two heads. There was no way life could be this cruel. Thomas glanced him over and was thankful to be sitting down because the thought of Newt wearing red, lacy underwear underneath those black jeans was enough to make his knees weak. Thomas’s heart was beating faster in his chest, and he swallowed against the sudden dryness in his throat.

No, he definitely wasn’t going to think about that right now. The last thing Thomas wanted to do was pop a boner in some stranger’s backyard next to a high Newt because Thomas was too busy thinking about what Newt in lacy panties would look like bent over the porch table. That would’ve made for one of the lowest moments of Thomas’s life, even though this was the best newfound information in history.

Newt held in a cough after inhaling too much, and Thomas shot his gaze down at his feet as he regained himself. He’d ask about it later. Now wasn’t the right time. When silence found its way in between them again, Newt eyed Thomas over.

"Life of the party, huh?" Newt joked.

Thomas glanced over his shoulder to peer briefly into the house. He could see the edge of the stoner circle from where he was sitting. "I think I am the party."

Newt's laugh caught Thomas by surprise, but Thomas felt the corner of his mouth turn up in an odd sort of triumph. Newt shook his head, grin still stretched wide on his face. "Cheeky. You've been hanging around Minho too much."

"You're not wrong," Newt added. "This party was a bust. I'd rather be out here with you."

The bluntness of that statement made Thomas's heart race again. It was probably nothing. Thomas’s brain was probably still scrambled from the whole panties thing, but he couldn't stop himself from reading into it anyway. "...Thanks."

"Alby and I are going to stay awhile longer though. We're all about to go get fast food. Want anything?"

Thomas shook his head. "I'll snack when I go back to my dorm. Think I'm going to go track Minho down. I'm going out of my mind with nothing to do here, man."

"Minho already left."

Now, _that_ was the type of surprise Thomas didn’t want. "What?"

"He left like an hour ago with Sarah. Sarah? Stacy? One of those."

"He was my ride."

"To be fair,” Newt explained as he examined the bud of his joint before flicking it away, “we all thought you left already."

Thomas’s voice rose to a higher pitch. "Where would I _go_?"

“Dunno. Campus."

Thomas huffed out an irritable sigh, dropping his head down and running a hand through his hair. Yeah, this wasn't turning out to be the best night in the world. He could walk to college theoretically, but it was a good twenty minutes away _with a car_. Thomas checked the time on his phone. 1:37 AM. Great. Teresa was either going to be asleep already or busy. It wasn’t like he had given her a heads up that he was going to need a ride back to his dorm tonight.

Newt rolled his eyes in annoyance and kicked at Thomas’s shin. “Calm down. I can take you to the apartment.”

The bit of panic in Thomas disappeared at that. The response was an automatic and needless, "What?"

"My apartment," Newt said again, deliberately slower. Thomas knew he was getting scolded and recalled last year when the gang got fed up with Thomas asking where everything was on campus. "It's a few blocks from here. The couch is free if you're okay with that."

"That's fine." It was more than fine. "Thank you."

It wasn't until they were in Alby's car that Thomas realized he'd never stayed the night at their apartment without Minho before. Minho was always the one who’d take Thomas over to the apartment to chill. Then during those times Minho couldn't be bothered with driving back to campus, they'd crash on the sofa or haphazardly on the floor. Thomas and _Minho_. Never just Thomas.

"You're making me lose my high," Newt half grumbled as he shot glances at Thomas. "You all right?"

"Tired," Thomas said a little too quickly. It wasn't like he could say he was unhappy to get left behind but more than happy with the result. He wasn't very good at lying.

"I'm sorry you can't go back to your dorm tonight. I really did think you had left. Not really your scene."

Thomas chuckled. "I can't believe they played Keith Urban and Kenny Chesney."

"I think I know all the words to 'She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy'."

There was a pause. They looked over at each other at the same time and broke into laughter.

It only took five minutes to get to Newt's apartment, and Thomas had a smile on his face the entire way. They joked about the party--about the flat beer and people square dancing on the coffee table. Honestly, it felt like a waste of a Friday night, but it was nice to joke about it.

It wasn't until Thomas had gotten out of the car that he realized Newt wasn't coming out with him. The blond fidgeted with his keys for a moment in order to get the apartment key off the ring. "Here. Just leave the door unlocked. There's blankets in the hallway closet."

The lack of curtains made for a rude awakening in the morning even without a hangover. Then the next few hours felt awkward as Thomas tried to force himself to sleep more. His phone was dead without having his charger, and he didn't feel comfortable rummaging through their cabinets or even channel surfing while Newt and Alby were asleep. In the end, seeing Newt's bedhead and the way his sweats hung low on his hips as he stumbled his way into the kitchen to make himself a cup of tea at one in the afternoon in a Sex Pistols crop top made it all worth it.

\--

[Teresa - Sent]: It's been a week

[Teresa - Received]: Does he know you still have it?

[Teresa - Sent]: yes

[Teresa - Sent]: he wants me to use it I think

[Teresa - Received]: Isn't that a good thing??

[Teresa - Sent]: Why would he let me have a key to his apt?

[Teresa - Received]: ;)

[Teresa - Sent]: No no

[Teresa - Sent]: I'm serious

[Teresa - Received]: Me too ;) ;)

\--

Thomas didn't think his Freshman year at college was going to be good, much less that he was going to be spending a chunk of his Sophomore year in the living room of his crush's apartment. It started with Thomas unsure how to handle suddenly having a key to the place. For awhile, he stuck to just coming over to the apartment when Minho drove them both over. It was on one of the drives over to the apartment that something dawned on him, and Thomas quickly disliked the situation even more than he originally thought.

"I think you're overreacting," Teresa told him over the phone one night while Thomas was working on geology homework.

"I'm not!" Thomas defended, grateful that his roommate wasn't there tonight. "I have a key, and Minho doesn't? That's something to worry about."

"How do you know he doesn't have a key?"

"Teresa, we go over there all the time. If the door's locked, he always knocks," Thomas explained.

"Maybe he's just being polite."

Silence.

Teresa retracted it. "Yeah, okay, maybe you're right. Maybe it's an ex thing?"

Thomas groaned and dropped his head onto his desk. "Don't remind me. I'm miserable enough with all the homework I have due tomorrow."

Amused giggling could be heard on the other line. "Somebody get bit by the green monster?"

"No." Thomas sighed. "Maybe."

"Tom, you have a key to his apartment. I don't think you need to be jealous."

"A key that I can't use!" Thomas pointed out. "Do you know how upset Minho would get if he found out I have one and he doesn't? He's Newt's best friend right behind Alby."

"Maybe he'll ask for it back then."

The problem was Thomas didn't want that either. He hadn't exactly used it much, but he liked being trusted enough to have it. It sent butterflies through his stomach at the thought.

It wasn't until a few days later when Thomas tagged along with Alby to get his car inspected that the subject was brought up again. Alby admitted, "I was expecting you to show up on my porch when I went to class yesterday. You don't have any classes Tuesdays, right?"

"Huh? Oh, no I don't have classes on Tuesday." Something clicked in Thomas's head. "You know I have a key?"

Alby gave him an unimpressed look. "It's my apartment too."

Thomas flashed him a sheepish smile and wished he could take back the stupid question. Of course Alby knew he had a key. Newt wouldn't have done something like that without telling him. Thomas really needed to get this whole love affair conflict out of his head because that's definitely not a thing, and Thomas planned on lying tooth and nail about kinda wanting it to be a thing.

"We talked about it, and I told him I didn't care as long as you don't wreck the place," Alby added.

The corner of Thomas's mouth twitched as he tried not to get his hopes up. That sounded more like Newt wanted to give Thomas a key to the apartment verses just letting him borrow a key on the fly. He hoped that's what it meant anyway, but instead of asking, Thomas joked, "No, I just like to go through people's stuff. Mainly sock drawers and under beds."

The look Alby gave him was enough to level buildings.

Thomas quickly waved his hands in the air. "Joking, joking."

\--

It wasn’t until that next Tuesday that Thomas finally used the key with a little coaxing.

 

[Newt - Sent]: this sucks

[Newt - Received]: Because having no classes is so terrible

[Newt - Sent]: Its tues so I can’t do anything

[Newt - Received]: You could play the wii u

[Newt - Sent]: At your house?

[Newt - Received]: Do you have a wii u idk about?

[Newt - Sent]: But you’re gonna be at campus all day

[Newt - Received]: What do you think I gave you a bloody key for?

  


It took Thomas half an hour of mulling it over before he finally drove his car to the apartment. It was weird being there alone at first, but it didn’t take as long as he thought it would to get absorbed into playing video games. Alby came back to the apartment first. He gave Thomas a nod in greeting but retreated back to his room without saying much more. It wasn’t until Newt showed up thirty minutes later and flopped down on the couch beside Thomas that he stopped worrying about overstaying his welcome.

Newt frowned at the bag of chips sitting on the coffee table. “Did you buy those?”

“Uh.” An embarrassed smile formed on Thomas’s face. “I felt weird about eating your guys’ food.”

Newt gave Thomas an odd look, and Thomas resisted the urge to squirm under it. A smirk pulled at Newt’s lips, and he shook his head. “You’re something else, Tommy.”

Warmth rose through Thomas at the comment, and he smiled back.

\--

The second reminder came from Alby, which felt more like a betrayal than Minho. Firstly, Alby was straight. Thomas had been suspicious that maybe Newt would have been Alby’s exception, but everyone always said they weren’t a thing. It had been the usual weekend with all of them hanging out at the apartment. Minho and Thomas were all elbows and hard angles on the couch as they tried to distract the other from Mario Kart. Alby was leaning over the back of the couch with a beer in hand and pleasant smile on his face as he watched them.

That’s when a shout from the other room cut through the air.

“Becoming a business major isn’t going to make me straight!”

That caught everyone’s attention. Alby straightened up, and the grin on Minho’s face vanished. They all stared after where Newt’s bedroom door was cracked open. Minho dropped his head and breathed out, “Shit.”

“No, _no!_ That is what we’re talking about!”

The ferocity behind those words made Thomas’s gut twist. He’d never heard Newt be this angry before. He sounded _furious_. It was making a part of Thomas crawl inside of himself, and it also caused worry to rise up with a vengeance.

“I know what you meant,” Newt fumed. “You don’t want your _fairy_ of a son embarrassing you.”

Thomas’s heart sunk. Was that really one of his parents on the phone? It occured to Thomas then that he didn’t know anything about Newt’s family other than that he and his parents would take trips to England over the summer and ocassionally on holidays to visit the rest of their family. Newt was always confident in his sexuality, so Thomas never assumed anything detrimental like this...

The conversation only lasted for another five minutes before silence erupted through the apartment. The video game had long since been paused. Thomas fidgeted with the control as he cast an uncertain look between Alby, Minho, and the door to Newt’s room. There was a stern expression on Alby’s face as he let out a heavy sigh before walking over and slipping inside Newt’s room.

Thomas could hear Newt’s strained response the second Alby walked into the bedroom. “Go away, Alby.”

“Newt--.”

“ _Don’t._ ”

There was a pause before Newt’s voice was heard again.

“Don’t you fucking touch me! Get your bloody hands off of--!”

“ _Newt._ ”

“Don’t you--! Don’t...”

If Newt said anything more, Thomas couldn’t hear him. He did, however, hear sniffling a moment later that stabbed at Thomas’s heart.

Minho patted Thomas's leg, drawing his attention back in. “Come on. We should go.”

Thomas stared at Newt’s bedroom for a minute before nodding and turning the Wii U off. It wasn’t until he got back to the dorms that Thomas realized he’d forgotten his phone charger at the apartment. Minho drove them back over an hour later. Since the door was still unlocked, Thomas quietly stepped inside. Although he knew he should probably leave it be, he found himself linging in the living room with his eyes on Newt’s open, bedroom door. The angry dispute over the phone still rang through Thomas’s head, and his feet were moving in the direction of Newt’s room before he could talk himself out of it.

The only light filtering through the apartment was the sunlight coming in from the living room windows and the soft glow of a lamp from Newt’s room. Thomas opened his mouth and raised his hand to prepare to tap his knuckles on the open door to alert his presence. The sight of Alby and Newt curled up together on Newt’s bed silenced anything Thomas was going to say. They were facing each other. Newt’s head was tilted down to where he could rest his forehead against Alby’s chest. Alby’s chin was resting on the top of Newt’s head and had one of his arms curled protectively over the blond boy.

Thomas’s throat went dry, and he felt his heart clench in his chest. He turned on his heels and backed out of the room, but the image was still burned in his mind. Maybe there really was nothing going on between them, but it felt like getting stabbed in the back anyway. It hurt knowing that there was another man’s arms hugging around Newt, even if they were just Alby’s. It was a slap in the face that there was yet another person who was allowed a closeness that Thomas would never have.

It was a week later that Thomas found out Minho had a key to Newt and Alby’s apartment, and there weren’t words to describe the amount of stupidity Thomas felt at that. It’s not that he didn’t want Minho to have a key, but it broke the illusion that maybe Thomas had something special.

\--

[Newt - Sent]: Are you switching majors?

[Newt - Received]: No

[Newt - Sent]: Good

[Newt - Sent]: Wed be lose without our gay pretentious fine arts specialist

[Newt - Received]: Asshole

[Newt - Received]: Thank you

\--

Minho whacked Thomas upside the head. After having ran around the track for the last half hour, the hit felt more like the wind had gotten knocked out of him. Thomas sputtered and scrambled to uncap his water bottle.

“So, are you going to tell me what’s wrong with you or what?” Minho challenged with an amused grin as their jog slowed to a walk.

“Dying,” Thomas choked out as he downed the water.

“Dramatic but okay.” Minho snickered. “Seriously though, what’s up?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” In all honesty, Thomas really didn’t know what Minho was getting at.

Minho didn’t buy it though and looked irritated. “Radio silence all week, and you don’t know what I’m talking about?”

“I was busy,” Thomas defended. “I had a project, and Teresa wanted a study partner.”

“The Teresa excuse is getting old, man. Is this about Newt?”

 _That_ caught Thomas’s full attention.

“It is, isn’t it?”

Thomas frowned. He looked past Minho to where Newt and Alby had paused in their jogging too. Newt was beaming at Alby, laughing at something that had been said. Thomas’s heart clenched in his chest, and he turned away. He gave in. “How long have you known?”

“Awhile. You’re not subtle.” Minho glanced back to where Thomas had been staring before rolling his eyes. “I don’t know what you’re so bummed out about. He’s been asking about you.”

“Really?” The thought of Newt wondering about Thomas seemed weird, and he kind of hated the part of him that was a little hopeful about it. It didn’t work out the last time Thomas had hope about all of this.

“Of course he has been, dumbass,” Minho scolded, provoking a small smile from Thomas. “I’m not the only one you’ve been giving a cold shoulder to.”

“Sorry.” Thomas meant it. The smile on his face lessened when he asked, “Are you okay with all of this?”

The smile that rose to Minho’s face wasn’t the cocky grin he usually flashed at people. He was a little amused, but the smile was genuine. “Thomas, it wasn’t like that. We didn’t even go out that long, and it was a few years ago. It’s cool, promise.”

It eased the knot in Thomas’s chest that had been sitting there for awhile. Minho was Thomas’s best friend right alongside Teresa. The fear that he was betraying their friendship somehow always rested in the back of his mind, and it was the reason he’d never outright told Minho about it in the first place.

Thomas wondered, “Awhile, huh?”

“Dude, a pep rally is more subtle than you.”

“Ouch.”

Minho grinned. “Don’t worry about it. It’s part of your charm.”

Thomas could never gauge how much he was giving himself away when he was around Newt, but he was pretty sure he wasn’t being very subtle about sneaking glances at Newt shirtless. They decided it’d be easier to just shower at the dorms so that they wouldn’t have to make an extra stop to the apartment before they go out to eat. Thomas tracked the way the lean muscles on his back moved when Newt tugged the gray tank top over his head. His light-colored skin was gleaming with sweat and had a rosy flush from running.

Newt had been laughing at a joke that Minho had made. Newt’s eyes squinted, and his open-mouth grin made dimples form as an airy and mirthful laugh floated through the air. Their eyes caught. Thomas looked away too quickly and internally scolded himself for it.

“Does Mexican food sound good to you?” Alby asked, continuing the conversation him and Thomas had been having. Thomas was only half paying attention. “I’m thinking about suggesting going to Chipotle.”

Thomas glanced back to see that Newt’s eyes were still on him. It was brief, but Thomas could have sworn Newt gave him a once over. When Newt smirked at him, Thomas felt the corner of his lips turning up too.

Distantly, Thomas agreed, “Yeah... Yeah, that sounds fine.”

\--

Even though Minho was busy that Saturday night, Thomas still went to go hang out with Newt and Alby. The three of them had gone to the movies and ended up playing quarters when they got back to the apartment. It was a simple night, but all of their spirits were high. Even Alby had a grin on his face as he landed yet another quarter in one of the plastic, red cups on the table.

Objections and shouts of disbelief cut through the room. Alby clapped his hands when a triumphant laugh erupted out of him.

“Are you kidding me?!” Thomas exclaimed and gestured at the cups. He shook his head in disbelief. “How many is that? Four hits in one turn?”

“ _Five_ ,” Newt corrected and tried to hide a smirk behind the plastic cup he was forced to pick up. It gave away that he wasn’t actually annoyed when he muttered, “Should know better than to play this bloody game with you.”

“You think you would have learned your lesson by now,” Alby gloated right before his phone went off. “That’s Siggy. Him and Gally are here.”

Thomas scrunched up his nose, and Alby knew what he was thinking before he could say anything. Alby defended, “Hey, he’s Siggy’s friend. As long as Gally keeps his head, he’s not bad company.”

Newt muttered, “I’m sure his head is worse than ‘not bad’.”

There was a pause when him and Thomas’s eyes met before they snickered and tried to bite back grins. Alby wasn’t as impressed by the blowjob joke. “Right. That’s my cue then.”

A bit disgruntled, Newt called after Alby, “Don’t let the door hit your arse on the way out.”

Just before the front door closed, they heard Alby chuckle and retort, “Sore loser.”

The atmosphere was pretty chill when it was just the two of them. They stopped playing quarters when Alby left to go spend time with his brother, but the two of them kept the music playing as they talked. Newt was lounging back on the couch arm while Thomas sat beside him with one of his feet resting against the coffee table.

Their conversation dropped when Thomas’s phone buzzed. Thomas didn’t think much of it when he smiled down at his phone and texted out a reply. It was from the girl he’d met a few weeks ago when they’d all gone clubbing. Thomas was too busy texting to see the smile on Newt’s face disappear. The slight edge to his voice kept his tone from being casual when he asked, “Is that Brenda?”

“Yeah, it is actually.” Thomas paused and looked up from his phone. “...Why?”

Newt held Thomas’s stare for a minute too long before shrugging and taking a sip of his beer. “You’ve been talking to her a lot.”

Thomas chuckled and pocketed his phone again. “Yeah, she’s pretty cool. Turns out she goes to our school. She’s majoring in psychology.”

Newt gave a slow nod as he mused something over.

“Did you fuck her?”

Thomas jerked his head up. “ _What?_ ”

“Did you fuck her?” Newt asked again before sitting up and curling one of his legs underneath him. “She didn’t really look like your type, so I was wondering.”

Thomas’s mouth hung open for a moment as he tried to recollect himself from the sharp turn in the conversation. “She--I have a type?”

The smile that stretched across Newt’s face was devilish at best and made Thomas’s heart beat faster. Newt glanced down at Thomas’s lips, and Thomas knew there was no mistaking it for anything else. Newt throwing the question back at him was deliberate. “I don’t know. Do you have a type, Tommy?”

Newt tilted his head to finish the last of his beer, and Thomas found himself tracking the movement of his throat when he swallowed. Thomas swallowed on instinct and was suddenly much more nervous than he had been feeling a few seconds ago. Newt leaned forward to put the empty bottle on the table, leaning over Thomas when he did so. When he sat back down, they were much closer now, and Thomas’s mind was whirling.

Newt’s dark eyes were half lidded and flicked in between meeting Thomas’s gaze and dropping lower. Newt’s voice was smooth and entrancing. Thomas watched his lips form each word when he continued, “I couldn’t blame you for having a thing for pretty brunettes.”

Thomas’s rapid heartbeat filled his ears as he felt Newt’s breath against his face. Newt had leaned in close when he spoke, and there was no minterpretting his intention. He didn’t close the distance though or move away, instead lingering and letting the words simmer in the air for a moment. The closeness reminded Thomas of the club a few weeks ago when music had been thumping through his veins, the flashing, neon lights making him light-headed, and the way Newt had danced against him for those torturing few minutes before another guy had cut in between them.

Thomas hadn’t thought it then--having escaped the dance floor and meeting Brenda--but he was thinking it now. The thought that what he felt for Newt was mutual and a real consideration stunned him. Thomas hesitated for too long, and the smirk disappeared from Newt’s face.

“Right.” Newt pulled away. He flicked his thumb over his nose and said again, “Right. I get it.”

“Get what?” Thomas asked quickly, getting back his bearings a bit. He knew the moment was slipping through his fingers when Newt was suddenly on his feet. “Wait--.”

“I said I get it, Tommy,” Newt snapped. His tone was sharp, and the glare he shot down at Thomas made his stomach twist. “I didn’t get it at the club, but I get it now. Crystal clear.”

Thomas stood as soon as Newt turned his back to him to walk to his bedroom. Newt’s voice was low when he warned without looking back at him, “I want you out as soon as you’re sober enough to drive.”

“Newt, hold on a second,” Thomas called after him, following at his heels. He caught Newt’s arm to stop him from reaching his bedroom where he would no doubt shut the door in Thomas’s face. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t be an idiot.” Newt accused, “You know damn well what I’m talking about.”

“I really don’t,” Thomas swore. He really hated getting stuck in this position of having no idea what was going on around him.

“I know why you’ve been blowing me off now,” Newt told him. “I’m a big boy, Tommy. I can handle rejection.”

Thomas grabbed his arm again when Newt tried to turn his back to him again. “I didn’t reject you. I didn’t even know you liked me.”

“I was all over you at the club, and you went to make out with Brenda,” Newt reminded, but his anger was starting to lessen.

Thomas looked taken aback. “I rejected you? Newt, you left with some guy to have sex in the bathroom!”

“After I saw you kissing her! You made it pretty clear you didn’t want me.”

Thomas’s voice lowered back into seriousness when he confessed, “I do want you.”

The words hung in the air. The two searched each other’s eyes for a moment before a smirk slowly took form on Newt’s face. He wet his lips and Thomas’s eyes flickered down to track the movement. The words seemed to sink in, and the playful tone made its way back into his voice when Newt encouraged, “Prove it.”

Thomas’s hands rose up to Newt’s face, and the two of them were kissing. It was steady and certain and exactly what Thomas had been wanting for too long now. It was something he now knew Newt had been wanting too, and Thomas wanted Newt in every way Newt would have him. They crashed into each other without rush, their kisses smooth and overwhelming. The build was gradual as Thomas kept his hands cupped around Newt’s face and Newt grabbing a fistful of Thomas’s shirt as they kissed.

“I knew she wasn’t your type,” Newt commented in between kisses, and Thomas couldn’t help but smile against Newt’s lips. It was somehow relieving to hear Newt’s jealousy after Thomas had struggled with it himself for the last few months.

Soon they were kissing with fervor, and Thomas had Newt pinned against the hallway wall. Newt’s arms were wrapped around Thomas’s neck as Thomas ran his hands down Newt’s sides. Heavy breathing filled the air as Thomas placed kisses down Newt’s throat and revelled at the feel of Newt dragging his fingers through his hair.

Newt breathed out Thomas’s name like a scolding. It took a moment, but it finally clicked in Thomas’s head what Newt was requesting when Newt lifted up his leg again and brushed it up against him. Thomas grabbed Newt’s hips to raise him up to let Newt wrap his legs around his waist.

“About bloody time,” Newt reprimanded and yanked Thomas’s hair to bring him in for another kiss. It was rough and sent arousal through him, and Thomas discovered he may or may not have a thing for Newt being rough with him.

When Thomas pulled back, he gave an awkward chuckle. Amusement was forming in Thomas’s chest as he could already hear Newt’s irritable response before he even said anything. “I, uh, won’t be able to hold this position the entire time.”

The look Newt was staring him down with cause a timid grin to surface on Thomas’s face. Newt rolled his eyes and told him like he was having to explain something simple, “I have a bed.”

Thomas glanced down for a long time at where Newt’s legs were wrapped around him. “Right. Okay. Just--.”

Newt’s eyes widened. “No.”

“I can just--.”

“You tripped over the coffee table an hour ago. You are not carrying me,” Newt insisted and unwrapped his legs from Thomas so he could stand.

He grabbed the front of Thomas’s shirt to pull him in for a kiss. It was messy and made everything that wasn’t Newt’s tongue or lips leave his mind. Newt dragged his teeth over Thomas’s bottom lip, biting at it before stopping. As if as an after thought, Newt promised, “Later.”

Thomas let Newt tug him into his bedroom. Newt turned them so he could back Thomas up to the bed and shove him back onto the mattress. Thomas’s legs splayed out and breath caught in his throat when his back hit the mattress.

Okay, so maybe Thomas _really_ enjoyed Newt getting rough with him and pushing him around.

Thomas wet his lips and shifted against the discomfort of how tight his jeans were feeling. The way Newt’s gaze rolled over him from where he stood only added to it. There was a glint in Newt’s eyes when their gazes met. Newt flashed him that partial smile, partial smirk of his before lifting his crop top over his head.

Before Thomas could get his own shirt halfway up, Newt’s hands fell over his to stop them. Thomas spread his legs wider to allow Newt to step in between them. Newt interlaced their fingers and moved Thomas’s arms up above his head. His actions were slow and premeditated, sending a tremor of pleasure through Thomas’s body as Newt let go of Thomas’s hands in order to run his fingertips down his arms, his chest, his stomach. He lifted Thomas’s shirt up to his armpits before leaning down to place a kiss against his stomach. Thomas’s eyes fell half lidded, breathing becoming shallow again as he watched Newt pepper kisses up his stomach and chest. Thomas sucked in a breath when Newt ran his tongue up Thomas’s neck before kissing him slow and sweet.

“Newt,” Thomas breathed out, and it sounded close to begging. Newt kissed him again before guiding Thomas to lift up so he could remove his shirt all the way this time.

Newt was rough and gentle with him all at once. He placed soft kisses against Thomas’s neck before biting and sucking at the skin until it stung. Even after they got both of their jeans off, Newt was determined to suck hickies all over Thomas’s neck and along his collarbone. It was a silent and fierce claim, and Thomas made no move to stop him.

Thomas was gasping and biting his lip as they began to rub against one another. He knew he could come like this if this with Newt’s lithe body pressed against his and his lips dragging over his skin if this went on long enough. When Newt pulled back,  the flush that was set high on his cheeks and uneven breathing proved Newt was as far along as he was.

“How do you want me, Tommy?” Newt asked, and it was a lot different from his flirty demeanor earlier in the living room. He sounded almost uncertain--concerned--and Thomas didn’t know what to make of that.

Thomas reached a hand up to Newt’s face and rubbed his thumb over his cheek as he searched Newt’s eyes. When he guided Newt down into a kiss, his other hand that had been rested against Newt’s side slid down to cup his ass. Newt broke the kiss in surprise and found Thomas peering up at him with a teasing smile. “Can we…?”

Amusement crossed Newt’s face before he agreed, “Yeah, you can.”

Thomas rolled them both over when they started making out again. He paused once their boxer-briefs were removed, taking a moment to enjoy the sight of a naked Newt laid out underneath him. Newt frowned and turned his head to the side. “Get on with it, yeah?”

There was something else in Newt’s voice other than sexual urgency that made Thomas pause. Although the gears were starting to turn in his head, his tone was light when he pointed out, “You got to admire me. It’s only fair that I get a minute too.”

Newt still looked serious, and he didn’t meet Thomas’s eyes when he muttered, “That’s not funny.”

Thomas frowned. “I wasn’t trying to be.”

Sometimes it’d take Thomas a minute longer to understand a joke made and sometimes his mind would drift, but he wasn’t as oblivious as some people might think. He knew what the problem was, and Thomas’s expression softened. He pressed a lingering kiss to Newt’s cheek and remained close to murmur, “I think you’re beautiful.”

This time it was Newt’s heart that skipped a beat.

Thomas placed kisses along Newt’s jawline, dragged his teeth down his neck, and peppered kisses down Newt’s chest just like he’d done earlier. Newt’s fingers were tangled in Thomas’s hair the entire time. Although it didn’t hurt, the hold was tight as if Newt was hanging onto Thomas like a lifeline. Unknowingly to Thomas in that moment, Newt really was on the edge, teetering on the edge falling in love with him. Truth be told, there was a good chance he was already there.

The noises Newt made when Thomas fingered him was music to his ears. The held back gasps and grunts and the way Newt ground down against his hand was a sight he wasn’t about to forget. There weren’t words to describe the feeling of being inside of Newt. The tightness squeezing around Thomas’s dick punched all the air out of him. Newt’s hands were everywhere--grabbing, holding--and the way Newt’s nails scraped red tracks into his skin sent shivers through him.

The sharp gasps that filled the air, and the wet slapping of skin against skin only pushed Thomas closer to climax. The way Newt’s head was thrown back against the bed, lips parted opened, and blond hair falling everywhere was both the most beautiful and sexiest thing Thomas had ever seen. The moans that only grew louder and louder by the minute were no doubt going to haunt his thoughts the next time Thomas got off.

The sharp bite of his nails digging into Thomas’s arm made Thomas hiss. Newt was close, and his voice was wrecked when he pleaded, “Please, Tommy. _Please._ ”

It only took a few more thrusts to put Newt over the edge, and Thomas followed not long after him. They lay there for a few moments catching their breath, but it didn’t take long for Newt to push Thomas over and grumble something about how it felt like he was ‘laying under a two by four’. Thomas held back a laugh, and Newt smiled over at him after becoming reluctantly endeared.

They moved underneath the covers after cleaning up with some tissues and remained tangled up in each other. Their legs were tangled, and Thomas had an arm wrapped around Newt as they lay facing each other. There was a great deal of comfort in knowing he was allowed to hold Newt like this, that it wasn’t just about sex. It was his arms that were allowed to hold Newt this time, and Thomas couldn’t keep the wide and no doubt goofy smile off of his face.

Newt opened his eyes when he felt Thomas’s gaze on him. He lifted an eyebrow at him. “If you start comparing me to the sun, I’m going to make you sleep on the couch.”

Thomas chuckled. “I was just remembering you said something about red, lacy panties.”

Newt hummed in acknowledgement  and closed his eyes before denying, “No bloody idea what you’re talking about.”

“So, you don’t own a pair of lace panties?” Thomas wondered. It had been eating at him for awhile now, and he needed to know if it had been a joke all along or not.

“You’re delusional.”

“...Is that a yes or a no? That’s a no, isn’t it?”

Newt peeked open an eye. A smirk stretched his lips, and Thomas’s grin resurfaced in full on his face. “You do own a pair.”

The smile remained on Newt’s face when he evaded, “Go to sleep, Tommy.”

So, maybe college wasn’t going to be so bad after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Yes. Laugh at the lameness.
> 
> Like go laugh in the comments right now.
> 
> You should. You should comment.
> 
> ~~Love me~~


End file.
